Devotee:
Pranam, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pranam, son. Pranam.
Devotee:
Welcome, friends, to the Gupto Sadhok Shema Khapa YouTube channel. Gurudev has discussed various essential aspects of Sadhana, especially Tantra Sadhana, in different episodes. He has spoken about Japa (chanting), Dhyana (meditation), and Brahmacharya (celibacy). Today, we will learn about another object we often see, and we can see it in his hand today—the Trishul (trident). Today, we would like to hear from Gurudev about the Trishul.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Ah, the Trishul. The word comes from Shul. What does the word Shul mean? In the old days, landlords and kings used to impale people on a shul (spike). A shul is like a spear-headed spike. This one you see here is a spike, this is a spike, and this is also a spike. Three spikes together make a Trishul.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Generally, in the past, when someone committed a terrible crime, they were impaled. There is a place in Baruipur called Shulipathar Gate. Landlords used to impale many people there. That place still exists today, though it's unused and empty. It is known as a place of execution where people were impaled. So, three shuls make a Trishul. Do you understand?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Now, the significance of the Trishul is deeper. It represents Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar (Shiva). Three powers are contained within it—Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar. But notice, there is only one handle. This signifies that Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar are one and inseparable; they are complementary to each other.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
The Upanishads say: Arka-jyotir-aham Brahma, Brahma-jyotir-aham Shivah, Shiva-jyotir-aham Vishnu, Vishnu-jyoti-Shiva-parah. This means the light of each is connected to the other. Arka refers to the Sun in the sky. This solar brilliance is held by Lord Brahma. The light of Brahma is held by Shiva. The light of Shiva is held by Vishnu, and the light of Vishnu is held by Shiva. Thus, they are complementary, and all three powers exist together. They are called the Trinath (Trinity). The Trishul is the proof of that.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
We use the Trishul for many reasons. One is for power—it provides immense power. We hold that power of Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar within it.
Devotee:
Gurudev, I see three eyes on the Trishul.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Those were just painted on. It's nothing special, just an artistic addition.
Devotee:
We often see Trishuls in temples or places of worship.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
And you will see a Trishul on top of every temple. This is primarily to act as a lightning rod (vajraghat) to protect the temple from lightning strikes. The Trishul is positioned facing the sky so that lightning doesn't strike the temple.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Only a curse can bypass this. For instance, my Bhamdev Baba (a famous saint) once got very angry with the Mother (the Goddess) because so many people were coming to see him and he couldn't handle the crowd. He went into the temple and told the Mother, Am I your servant? Why are you sending so many people? I can't take this anymore!
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
The Mother supposedly gave him a slap, and he saw the entire universe in that moment. Many people had warned him not to disturb the Mother in the temple. Baba had kicked some and thrown Trishuls at others, but he went to the Mother regardless. After getting slapped, he said, Mother, you hit me? I will never enter your inner sanctum again. And from that day on, he never did.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
However, he gave a terrible curse. He said, If I am the son of a Brahmin, lightning will strike your head. And indeed, a bolt from the blue struck the temple. Even the Mother's power couldn't stop that lightning. Even today, if you go to Tarapeeth, you will see a bent Trishul that was struck by lightning. No one has the power to straighten it. Another Trishul has been placed beside it, but no one touches the original. That is the significance of the Trishul.
Devotee:
We see that Sadhus (monks) always keep a Trishul with them.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
It is for power. They keep power close to them. You don't realize the immense power of a Trishul. It has to be awakened. One must worship the Trishul every day for it to stay awakened; otherwise, it is just a piece of iron. But if awakened, it is the agent of destruction (Vinash). Trishul means destruction.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Sadhus keep it to gather energy from it. There is a saying: Sadhu, be careful, there is a devil behind you. It serves as a weapon. They meditate in forests, mountains, and caves, so they need something for protection. Malevolent spirits often disturb those performing Sadhana (spiritual practice). It happened to Ravana too when he was meditating on one leg; he was tormented, but he didn't give up. Sadhus carry the Trishul for energy and as a weapon to destroy any evil spirits or obstacles.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I'll tell you another thing. When Mother Durga was fighting Mahishasura, she was Dasa-Praharana-Dharini (the one with ten weapons). She had ten weapons in her ten hands, but she didn't have the Trishul—the power of total destruction. As the battle raged, the gods watched from above, including Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar. Although they had given her their powers, the Mother herself is not an agent of destruction. That's why she didn't have the Trishul initially.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
In those days, demons could change their forms and hide behind clouds. Mahishasura changed into a lion, a buffalo, a boar—various forms. Every time the Mother tried to kill him, she couldn't. Then the three gods realized, Mahishasura will never be destroyed. Vishnu asked why, and they replied, Because she lacks the Trishul—she lacks the power of total destruction.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
The three of them decided to give the Mother the Trishul. Lord Shiva threw his Trishul to her in the battlefield and said, Here, I give you the power of destruction. With that Trishul, Mother Durga finally killed Mahishasura. She pinned him down and pierced him with the Trishul.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
You see, if the Mother becomes the Destroyer, the world would end. A mother is a creator; she can nurse a child, but she lacks the inherent nature to destroy. If a Mother becomes a total Destroyer, creation, stability, and the world itself would vanish. That is why the Trishul is such a significant weapon and power for us.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
There's something else—the Chimta (tongs). Why do Sadhus keep tongs? In the forest, they use them to poke the fire, cook food, or bake rotis. They use the tongs to flip the bread in the fire. Lokenath Baba always had a chimta. It wasn't just for food; it was also used for defense against enemies. So, the tongs and the Trishul are essential for practitioners and Sadhus.
Devotee:
You mentioned Mother Durga killing Mahishasura. Did Mahishasura pray to the Mother as he was being killed?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes. After such a long battle—where Mahishasura's tail churned the oceans and his horns broke mountains—he was finally pierced by the Trishul. He then made a request to the Mother. He said, Mother, I am like an ignorant child. I fought you without knowing better. This was my destiny. But I have one prayer. She asked what it was. He said, Whenever you come to Earth, bring me with you. That is why, even today, when Durga is worshipped, Mahishasura is there. He also asked to be worshipped alongside her. She granted it, saying, So be it. Even after the battle, because the Mother is not a hater, she gave him a place at her feet. It's a profound philosophy.
Devotee:
Can a Trishul be kept in a home shrine or prayer room?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, people do keep them. For example, there was a boy in Kolkata who was very ill. His family went to Bhamdev Baba at Tarapeeth and pleaded for help. Baba had a Trishul in his hand. As soon as he arrived at their house chanting Tara, Tara, the boy sat up, completely cured before Baba even entered the room. The family asked for something to worship, and Baba gave them his Trishul. That Trishul is still in Kolkata today, being worshipped.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
When Baba returned to Tarapeeth without his Trishul, everyone was surprised. He said, I gave it away because they asked for it. Then, in the temple of Chandrachur (Lord Shiva), there was another Trishul. The priests gave that one to Baba, saying, This is the Trishul of Chandrachur, don't give this one away. Baba kept that Trishul for the rest of his life.
Devotee:
Does the Trishul have importance in Tantra Sadhana?
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Absolutely. Where else will you get power? You can't do Sadhana without power. The Trishul is that power. You might remember when I finished the Maha Mrityunjay Yajna. I had a Trishul with me then.
Devotee:
I remember. When the Yajna was concluding and you were giving the final offering, you held a Trishul, and a supernatural event occurred.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Yes, as I was giving the offering, a sudden gust of wind—a storm—blew in. It lasted only a few seconds, but it was so strong it knocked down two or three trees. Hundreds of people witnessed it. The smoke from the Yajna went straight up to the sky to Lord Shiva, the Great Conqueror of Death (Maha Mrityunjay). It was as if He accepted all the labor and offerings of those days.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
I witnessed this personally. Not only that, someone came all the way from Pashupatinath (Nepal) and asked, Was a Maha Mrityunjay Yajna performed here for world peace and human welfare? I said yes. He sat at my feet and asked for a blessing. His matted hair (jata) was incredible—it wasn't the growth of just one day. His name was Austin. I asked how he knew, and he said he felt it at Pashupatinath.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Someone even came from Japan. He hugged me and said, We also think about world peace and hold seminars. I found out through Google that a 1000-day Yajna was happening here, so I had to come. Many things like this have happened here. We have performed many great Yajnas and rituals.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
So, this Trishul you see—with three blades for Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar, but one handle—shows that they are complementary and inseparable. That is the essence.
Devotee:
Friends, you heard about the Trishul today. We see it often, but Gurudev explained its significance in detail. Please subscribe to the Gupto Sadhok Shema Khapa YouTube channel and leave your comments if you want to hear about new topics. Pranam, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pranam, son. Pranam.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Someone even came from Japan. He hugged me and said, We also think about world peace and hold seminars. I found out through Google that a 1000-day Yajna was happening here, so I had to come. Many things like this have happened here. We have performed many great Yajnas and rituals.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
So, this Trishul you see—with three blades for Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar, but one handle—shows that they are complementary and inseparable. That is the essence.
Devotee:
Friends, you heard about the Trishul today. We see it often, but Gurudev explained its significance in detail. Please subscribe to the Gupto Sadhok Shema Khapa YouTube channel and leave your comments if you want to hear about new topics. Pranam, Gurudev.
Guru Shyama Khyapa:
Pranam, son. Pranam.
Gurudev:
The word Trishul comes from "Shul," which means a spike or spear. In ancient times, it was an instrument of execution. But spiritually, three shuls joined into one handle represent the Divine Trinity—Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwara. They are inseparable and complementary. As the Upanishads say, the light of one is the light of the other; they are the Trinath.
A Shield Against the Heavens
Have you noticed a Trishul on top of every temple? This serves a practical purpose as well—it acts as a vajraghat (lightning rod) to protect the sacred structure. However, even this can be bypassed by the power of a saint's curse.
My Bama Khepa Baba once cursed the temple at Tarapith in a fit of divine rage, saying, "If I am the son of a Brahmin, lightning will strike your head." To this day, you can see a bent Trishul at Tarapith that was struck by a bolt from the blue; no one has been able to straighten it since.
The Awakened Weapon of the Sadhu
Gurudev:
For a Sadhu, the Trishul is not just iron—it is a reservoir of power that must be "awakened" through daily worship. It serves as protection against wild animals and malevolent spirits during solitary sadhana in forests or caves. It is the agent of Vinash (destruction) of obstacles.
The Gift of Destruction to Mother Durga
During the battle with Mahishasura, Mother Durga—the creator and nurturer—initially lacked the power of total destruction. The demon kept changing forms, eluding death. Seeing this, Lord Shiva threw his Trishul to her. Only when she received this weapon of the Trinity could she pin the demon down and end his reign of terror.
Yet, even in destruction, there is mercy. Mahishasura prayed to the Mother as he was dying, asking to always be at her feet. That is why we still see him worshipped alongside Her during Durga Puja.
The Trishul in the Home and Sadhana
Can you keep a Trishul at home? Yes, but it carries great energy. I remember a boy in Kolkata who was cured of a terminal illness the moment Bama Baba arrived with his Trishul. That same Trishul is still worshipped by that family today.
During the conclusion of my Maha Mrityunjay Yajna, I held a Trishul, and a supernatural storm swept through, signifying that the Great Conqueror of Death had accepted our offerings. The Trishul is the very essence of the power required for any true spiritual journey.